Remember to keep yourself in check....if you want to

Hmm well after a fun weekend of overindulging which didn't make my head feel wonderful Sunday morning, and didn't make my scale squeel with delight this morning. It is time to have a couple good days! Well once I finally lost the weight I wanted to pick a number that if it creeped towards that number(well if it hit or surpassed it) I would get back on the bandwagon. Well this morning I was 1 pound shy of it. I was very proud of myself and didn't freak out about it or tell myself I was fat. I calmly accepted that I needed to behave;) So I ate lots of fruit and more veggies today, and had poached eggs for breakfast. I'm not sure if say I'm just retaining water and the scale will go back to where I would like it too in a day or so. We'll see, but I also feel way better when I eat healthier. I need to up my cardio too. I have actually been avoiding it! It's kind of cold and sometimes I just don't want to look like a dork in front of the neighbors. Whom I haven't met most of them and the ones I have don't seem all that intersted in me anyways. So why do I care? Well I'm not sure. I am looking into buying a spinning bike with my Christmas/bday money that I get this year. That way there is no excuse if I am watching tv I could also be exercising.

I'll take an Extra Large in the Sexy Panties....

Why do victoria secret's sexier underwear versions run so small?!? And the regular cotton ones run so big?!?! Are they saying that if we aren't teeny tiny we don't want to look sexy? I do realize that some cuts are going to fit different bodies differently, maybe I'm curvier and have a little bit of a booty:) Which I do like to be covered by my underwear.
My husband's work Christmas party is next weekend and I was searching for a bra to wear under my dress(as oppossed to on top of, lol) just kidding. Anyways I tried on all the bras I own and none of them worked. You could either see it in the front, see it on the side, or it was too big. Because we all know when you lose weight your boobs go too! I do consider myself blessed that they are still a C cup. So I hit up Victoria Secret without my dress(I'm hitting myself now) and found one that I thought was going to work perfectly. In a lovely silvery bluish gray, and then found some underwear that matched, and of course I had to buy two more pairs because it was 3 for $30:) Well I get home and discover that the bra isn't visible from the side but it is definately visible from the front. WHY?! Also discovered the underwear in a medium is way too small, even though one pair in another cut was a small and was a better fit. So I prob would need a large or extra large in the others for them to not dig in and give me not only a muffin top, but two butts as well. LOL ok so let's take this as a learning experience. Remember it is not your body, it is quite possibly the clothing that is not functioning properly! Sizes are not necessarily very accurate and definately not universal. Well I'm bringing the dress with me today and maybe I'll try those chicken cutlet thingies! I'm sure that's another story in itself:) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hmm it smells like cookies in here!

With Christmas just around the corner I am well into my baking frenzy. I won't lie, I love to bake. I do like to make any changes to a recipe that I can to make it healthier. So here are some tips that I have used. Use organic if you can. Wheat flour instead of white flour, if you sift the wheat flour it becomes lighter in texture(however I'm not sure if this removes any or all of the nutrients) I have also read it's good to add more liquid when cooking with wheat, but be careful when baking because some recipes are not forgiving when you mess with them! I replace shortening or margarine with butter to remove any trans fat. Or Pumpkin and applesauce can both be used to substitute the fat(butter or oil) in a recipe. I've only tried this in cakes and breads. Both work but I preferred the results from the pumpkin. It was dense and moist. I also have added ground flaxseed in place of some of the flour. Another tip I use for cookies is that I make them pretty small so that if you want to try more than one kind you aren't blowing your entire calorie budget for the day. This year I am thinking about making some spiced nuts with some dried fruit as a healthier option to the cookies.

Relax a little bit before the weekend hits

Let's all take a moment today whether it's 30 seconds or 5 minutes. Find a quiet spot where you can be uninterupted(if possible) dim the lights, you can even light a candle. Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. Relax all the muscles in your face and work down all the way to your toes. Start focusing on nice deep breaths. On your inhale "I am happy" exhale "because I am" repeat for a few breaths and then let yourself be silent. Only letting positive thoughts in your mind, letting go of any negative ones or muscle tension, keep letting peace and happiness float in. Slowly start to wiggle your fingers and your toes and slowly open your eyes when you are ready. Enjoy the rest of your day and take time on the weekend to repeat this exercise if you feel you need it.

Holiday Interval Training

Burn more fat this holiday season with some interval training! The benefit is you don't have to maintain a high level of exertion the whole duration of your workout and you may even get better results. Go ahead and keep your workout around 30 minutes. If you have a heart rate monitor great if not you can just time your recovery. After warming up for 5-10 minutes: Pick up the pace and go all out for approx 15 seconds. Recover at a lower intensity until your heart rate returns back to 120-130 or approx 1 min 15 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times or until your 30 minutes is up allotting 3-5 minutes for a cool down. As you progress I'll add variations to this workout.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

It snowed yesterday:) I was so excited, because I love snow! It's so pretty when it's white and sparkly outside. Since it is getting quite chilly outside I do need to invest in some warmer clothes, especially if I head outside for a walk or run. I recently purchased a fleece mock neck shirt and I love it! I saw a few other colors at Marshalls the other day and I just might have to go back and get them. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the neck hole was so small I had to really pull it on. So you can say good-bye to your hair-do if you had one. Have you ever had that problem? Other cold weather gear that's nice to have is something to cover up your ears! I love the wider headbands as long as they stay put. Over at athleta.com you can find them complete with a ponytail hole in the back for $19. I have never had one but I am thinking about trying one. I tend to put my ponytail a little higher. However I think the headband was designed to wear under a helmet too. Anyways it's very cute!
On another note we also put the Christmas tree up tonight and got those cute little candles to put in the windows. Starting to look festive around here:)

You Really Do Have Options!

So I want to put so many of you at ease. My friends, my clients, and probobly you too think that so many foods are bad or forbidden. Carbs are bad because of the low carb/protein diets. Fat is bad because of the low fat diets and all the food that advertises. Then there are certain foods that are just bad like pizza, pasta, potatoes, bananas, chocolate, fruit in general even! Guess what? Your body needs all three macronutrients. Carbs in all their glory, fat in all its shinyness, protein in all its buffness. You need it all to function at your very best. Yes their is good fat and bad fat, good carbs and bad carbs, and more optimal forms of protein. If it grows in the ground it's probobly good for you. The less steps from ground to your mouth the better. The less chemicals, processes, preservatives etc the better. There are healthier ways to prepare all foods. If you don't believe me leave a comment and ask me to help you out with your food item of choice.

Debra Messing, A Great Role Model

If you want a nice big piece of honesty check out Debra Messing who is on the cover of Shape magazine this month. Looking fabulous of course. I saw her on Jay Leno two nights ago and he brought out the magazine. Debra tells Jay that the cover says "How I lost 42 pounds on the cover" (like she did it in 3 weeks) but she says it took her 3 years. So there I am given the impression it's very possibly not the celebrity that pushes for these unrealistic ideas but possibly the magazine itself. I got my issue of Shape in the mail yesterday and was excited to read the article. My fave quote from Debra was "It helped me drop the first few pounds, but I was exhausted! I couldn't work out 3 hours a day and do my job as a mother and an actress." Wow that's fabulous she just told us right there that she is completely real. She also chose to lose weight the healthy way. By eating healthier and even though she still worked out with the trainer she cut back on the time. That's fabulous and I love how she is not afraid to say it took her 3 years!
I am curios about all the celebrity moms out there posing for magazines in their bikinis. My gosh they are so brave, but we never see a stretch mark or a zit. However we all know if we had a zit in our wedding photos etc we would definately want the photographer to airbrush it out. So is it really so bad that the stretch marks are erased.......or do they even have them anymore. Maybe they should let us know what their trick was for getting rid of them. So we can know what works and what doesn't.
Or should we just stop the airbrushing and completely show the world what we look like in real life! I'm sure this would take a long time for our society to accept. I do think that we could change the way we look at being "perfect" if we started to look more objectively at all kinds of beautiful whatever the size or so-called flaw. It's about believing what's in your heart and not what others portray as acceptable.

Your Fairy-Weight-Loss-Mother to the rescue!

I have a love hate relationship with Jillian Michael's. I think she looks great works hard and definitely motivates people to get healthy. I love her workouts, and like to hit them up on demand on FitTV. However I saw her on Rachael Ray yesterday and they we're talking about whether she indulges at all. She said she is very selective about it. Which is pretty much how we all have to be:) You know when you say hmmm if I really want that piece of chocolate later maybe I won't have this cookie. The subject of margaritas came up and Jillian told Rachael that they contain about 600 calories. Rachael about fell over, and then asked if red wine was a better for you. And Jillian almost said no like don't even bother drinking it's a waste of calories(but hey if that's your treat go for that over the chocolate cake). She then tells R that it's about 100 calories and Rachael responded by saying well I could have 6 glasses of wine instead of one margarita! (Now that's my kind of thinking, girl;) To be fair I think that Jillian is so in the spotlight she kind of has to portray the I eat no bad food vibe. She does a fabulous job at it too! However I am so glad I am not her. I would not want that job! Yes I think you should eat healthy and I think you should workout but I do not think that you can't have any fun. Food is one of the joys of life so be your own judge and remember that we all have certain things that are worth indulging in. It's good for your soul to enjoy the good things in life. Moderation is key in anything we do.
My goal is to be healthy fit and still be able to enjoy an extra glass of wine or even pizza now and then. You can always up the nutrition in your indulgent food and probably make it healthy somehow. All it takes is a little creativity and adventurous taste buds.
I also used to wonder why she yells at her clients etc. Well after training a few different personalities and levels of motivation. I can tell you I have wanted to do the same thing! Really (now I may not go as far as say I'm going to break your @!#$@#$ legs with the barbell...wow I can't believe she said that. But it is TV and that's what people want. I don't think that would go well with my clients. Ha!) but I do want to say hey if you aren't going to even try to follow a healthy diet Shut-Up and stop complaining that you are not losing weight. I already gave you suggestions to change your lifestyle, but you have not changed a thing and that my friend is your fault not mine. What do you think I am the magic fairy-weight-loss mother. Poof let me wave my dumbbell at you and melt your fat cells away! Lol OK I'm done ranting I hope that made you laugh:) Anyways I don't think you should be too obsessive over the small stuff it's important to be healthy in mind, body and spirit and restricting everything can put a damper on your overall balance.

Be realistic and have fun!

It's Monday morning already and it's December 1! I can't believe how fast this year has flown by. If you are feeling a little on the unmotivated side and not looking forward to getting back into your workout today remember that maintaining your weight now is easier than having to lose a few pounds in January. You will then be ahead of the game and be looking great on New Year's Eve. You may find yourself busier than normal with all that extra shopping, decorating and parties. However anything is better than nothing so whether it's time or frequency that you have to cut back on you can make it up by increasing the intensity. Good luck and let me know if you need any suggestions.
I think we all need a reminder that celebrities have to workout just as hard as we do and eat properly to attain drastic results, but they generally can hire someone to cook for them, wake them up at 5am, and follow them around being the candy police! I happened across this article about Faith Hill yesterday. It suggested celebrity bikini shots come with a warning label. Wow what a great way to put it. How about instead of a warning label a reality label. Now in the article it states that Faith does Pilates 3 times a week and regular workouts on the elliptical. It does not say how long or how hard she work out. So in all reality yes this workout could definately give her a nice body. Remember that everyone is different and genetically prone to looking a certain way.
It takes a lot of hard work to get where you want to be, and sometimes it takes a long time. Know your body type so you can set more realistic goals. If you are 5'3 you may not look like Kerri Walsh but you still have the same potential as everyone else to be healthy fit and beatiful. So don't get discouraged(because someone did it in 30 days), be realistic and know that plastic surgery may be the reason that some people look perfect. It's ok to have some imperfections. Being healthy and fit is the best way to go.

Reflecting on Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! Ours was full of friends, fun and food. I am so thankful for all of God's blessings in my life especially my wonderful husband. I started to come to a realization a couple days before Thanksgiving, and now the day after I am reflecting back on how far I have come. Holidays used to cause me stress when it came to all the food. Not a bite could enter my mouth without it being analyzed for all it's nutritional content and then I would be worried that it was already making me fatter. I would tell myself I should have stuck to my diet better so that I was actually thin at this family gathering. Instead I was worried people we're looking down on me because I didn't need to eat that extra cookie. Here is how the transition started:
After getting in better shape and losing weight. I still got hung up on counting numbers, was afraid of magically gaining 15 pounds after one meal, and still kind of kept myself on a restrictive diet. I have always loved cooking and baking, but had a bad relationship when it came to eating.
Gradually over the past couple years as I've learned more and more ways to prepare healthy food. I've changed my tastes. Now I have always liked healthy food, but I didn't know there were so many options, and I've gotten away from many unhealthy choices. Learning to accept myself has helped me to cut down on the emotional eating too.
Eventually I've noticed that I definately stick to eating every 3-4 hours, choose healthy options and portion sizes, and exercise for pleasure instead of pain;) Even without trying after awhile this habit has helped slim me down a little more, and I was finally able to go wow I need to bump up my food. Because I finally raised my metabolism! Yay! My plan has changed to more of a maintenance one, and working out is to make me strong and keep me in shape.
Which brings me to Thanksgiving. This year I did not worry that I was going to look awful(well because I've worked hard to get where I am), I wasn't worried that people would care how much or little I ate, and I also did not worry about gaining weight as I enjoyed my turkey dinner. I've learned to listen to what my body is telling me and when it said you absoulutely can't eat another bit:) I didn't go back for more because this was the only day I can pig out. Nope I tell myself I don't need more right now. If I want more turkey and stuffing I can make it for dinner next week if I want too! Who says cranberry sauce is just a one day a year food!

You can have your potatoes and eat them too!

Potatos have gotten such a bad rap from all these low carb no carb diets. Well guess what? You know they grow in the ground, so that means they are not processed. They are full of potassium and other beneficial minerals. This year when you are making the mashed potatoes try boiling them whole(as opposed to chopping them in little bits), roasting, baking, or microwaving to keep more of those minerals in the potato. If you are curious what foods to eat that are high in potassium, omega 3's or whichever vitamin or mineral you are curious about check out this helpful tool at realage.com

Try this for breakfast

Need a new idea for breakfast? Grab some sweet potatos, maple syrup and cinnamon. I like to bake a few sweet potatos and then put them in the fridge. In the morning grab yourself one scoop out the inside and place in a bowl. Add cinnamon(and whatever spices you like-think pumpkin pie) and maple syrup to taste. Mash it up with a fork and heat it up in the microwave. Feel free to add some pecans, dried cranberries, or whatever sounds fabulous to you.

So after moving into our house and having fun decorating the upstair(which is not finished yet) it's time to tackle the basement. Why? Because I am going to turn it into my pilates/yoga/personal training studio. I have been acquiring pilates equipment, and the first room I painted when we moved in was the room the reformer went into. I'd love to get up and running with my own business, but since the walls are panel board and the floor will eventually need replaced I haven't done much to decorate. The room has also been the favorite place for boxes that need unpacked. I have now realized that it is going to be a long time before we sheetrock the walls and pick out new flooring. So I am going to paint the panel board for now. I want it to feel warm and relaxing. I found a small can of Laura Ashley paint in the garage that was left from the previous owners. It is a dark sage green and I tested it out on one of the smaller walls. I absolutely loved it! Hopefully I can take it in and get the color matched because I'm sure it was pretty old. I also need to purchase new window treatments. That alone should make it look tons better. Well I'm off to clear some boxes out of there and make way for yoga mats.

Did you know?

Did you know that a pound of fat has about 3500 calories and a pound of muscle has about 2500 calories. So whether you are trying to lose fat or gain muscle you may want to analyze your numbers if you aren't achieving your goals. Remember slow and steady is better than extreme.
If you are trying to lose you want to make sure you are burning more than you are taking in. Of course you have heard that before, but one key thing to make sure is that you aren't taking in too little. Then your body may going into starvation mode and hold on to everything you eat. Which could lead to gaining or feeling like you have hit a plateau.
If you are trying to gain it is important to consume more, but make sure that the extra food you are taking in is nutritious so your body has what it needs to repair and build muscle. If you go so extreme that you are eating way more than you need, you do run the risk of storing the excess in your fat cells rather than utilizing it to build muscle.

Think positively!

Take a minute right now to think of one or two nice things to tell yourself. Then I want you to repeat them a couple of times so you remember them all day. Next every time you look in a mirror today tell yourself those things and don't let any negative thoughts creep in!

If you need a good laugh

I'm still laughing at this video. Why are cats so funny? Check out the cat and the box at the Butterfinger Comedy Network.

Cranberry Pomegranate Bellini's

Champagne can be your friend this holiday season. With only about 90 calories in 4 oz or 1 glass it is a much smarter choice than the egg nog that has 180 calories per half cup.

When I was visiting back home last month my friend was mixing up these yummy Bellini's: Just pour some cranberry pomegranate juice in your champagne flute and fill the rest up with bubbly goodness. Juice has calories too so try to pick 100% juice with no added sugars or other fillers. Besides the added vitamin C boost you will get your head will be thanking you the next day since you are a little more hydrated from the water in the juice.

The Sound of Silence

After I wrote about how I love music so much. I thought I should discuss silence as well. Silence can be such a powerful thing. I was reminded of this in yoga class last night. A balance of silence in your day is so important. It can let your mind relax, clear your thoughts, help you focus on something deeper. It can also make us grateful for the beautiful sounds in our life that we sometimes take for granted. I am going to work on giving myself more quiet moments in my day. Try it yourself and notice how much better you feel. You may feel calmer, more organized, or just plain relaxed.

Whats your Realage?

If you want to check out a really cool website go to realage.com. Have you ever seen Dr. Oz on Oprah? If you like him you will love this site. My favorite thing to do is take the real age quiz and find out how old I really am. Are you wondering what I'm talking about:) There is a quiz that asks you all about your daily choices(food, workout, etc) habits(driving with a cell phone, drinking, seatbelt) and tons of other stuff. When you are all finished it tells you your real age, and the goal is to be younger than your calendar age. I need to get back on and retake mine it's been awhile. Currently I am 2.4 years younger than my calendar age, but I've been trying to be good and not text while driving so maybe I got a little younger:) There is also a nutrition quiz that tells you a lot of helpful information too. Once I retake mine I'll post a comment if I got any younger. If you take it post your real age too!

Soundtrack to my life

I'm so excited to watch the CMA's tonight! Music is great. Sometimes I wish I could have it playing all the time, kind of like having my own soundtrack. If the perfect song popped up for every moment; how cool would that be? I definately don't confine my favorites to one genre. What I listen to totally depends on my mood. Music motivates me, cheers me up, comforts and relaxes me. Sometimes it takes me back to a memory that seems so vivid just by hearing it. Ok maybe not sometimes more like often:) I associate times and events with songs more often than I probably realize.
I love it when my workout mix is so fabulous I completely forget about time and just sing along. Before I know it I'm sweating like crazy, but it feels effortless.
If you want to know how cheesy romantic I can get:) I made my hubby a cd with all the songs that reminded me of him, kind of like our soundtrack. I'll never forget when he told me there was a song that reminded him of me before we we're even dating. We later danced to that song at our wedding.
A little secret talent I have is playing the piano. Well maybe I should say hobby except I don't have a piano at the moment, so I don't play much at all right now. I'm not great at it for sure, but it's a good time. It's very cool to get totally lost in a song. If I ever get one again I think I'll definitely try to get better at it. For now I'm going to keep my ipod updated with great new songs to workout to!

Body-Mind-Spirit

I enjoy pilates and yoga more and more every day. There is something about feeling taller, stretched, and stronger all at the same time. With the added benefit of feeling relaxed. Which has led me to the decision to write more about all the aspects of health. Pilates and yoga are both considered Mind-Body-Spirit inclusive. So I am going to try to broaden my writing a little to cover all of these aspects. Learning to listen to your body is a wonderful thing, and both methods promote it. Knowing that "I feel strong today" means I can and should push a little harder or "I'm feeling tired or just off today" whether it is physically, mentally or emotionally means it's ok that I back off and do a modification. Learning to do tasks with concentration and control helps in all parts of our lives. We all can agree that doing something well a few times is better than doing lots of something half-assed.(Pardon my french.....which just made me wonder where did we come up with that saying anyways?)

Sleepytime

Lol! Ok so I didn't post anything at all during PPS2. I'm actually about to fall asleep right now. It was a great time and I learned a lot about Pilates, teaching and about myself. I'll right more tomorrow, but right now this sleepy girl needs to go to sleep.

I am about to start PPS-2 (aka the second level of my pilates training). Which is through Peak Pilates. If you would like to know more go to http://www.peakpilates.com/. So starting tomorrow morning I will be engulfed in everything Pilates! I'm excited to start but also nervous. Do I have everything I need? Who will be there? etc! I'm going to try to post everday but I'm not going to make any promises. Just in case I'm exhausted or something:) My training will last for the next four days and then I will have the next couple months to study, practice and teach. Finally in January I will test out. I will be sure to eat a good breakfast and of course a cup of coffee.

cranberries

Cranberries are a great addition to many dishes especially during the fall and winter. The are more prevalent in the stores as soon as Thanksgiving nears. Of course they are always available in juice form and most the time you can buy canned cranberries. I like the fresh cranberries available in the produce section. Last year I made a yummy cranberry orange relish. 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, one orange chopped(whole including peel), 1/4 cup orange liqueur. Blended in a food processor to desired consistancy. The original recipe called for 1 cup of sugar. I don't recall how much I added last year, but you can do it to taste. I liked this relish or (fruit salad) so well I think it could double as a side dish and not just a topping.

One cup of raw cranberries has 46 calories and 5 grams of fiber. It's also a great source of Vitamins E, K, and C as well as manganese.

Nasty Little Thoughts Can Go Bye-Bye

As Thumper's mom said in Bambi "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say nothing at all" or something like that..... Stephanie over at Back in Skinny Jeans had a great post today about Self Sabotage. If you would not say it to someone else, why would you say it to yourself? We all need to stop and remember to treat ourselves with the same respect and admiration that we show to others.
I have at times been very guilty of this(most of my life). However over the past year I have made great improvements. It really does help to remind yourself if you wouldn't tell your best friend something negative about her body why would you tell yourself that the stretch marks on your hips look so disgusting you should never be seen in public in a swimsuit. Because you would never say that to someone else and even if they did have stretch marks on their hips and were wearing a bikini you would admire them for wearing it anyways.
When I was back home on vacation I had to go through some of the stuff I had left at my parents house. In one box we're some pictures of myself golfing in college. The first thing I thought to myself was wow I was fatter than I thought. How could anyone want to talk to me without thinking I was gross and disgusting? I just automatically assumed everyone that saw me at that point in my life must have thought I was disgusting. Instead at that moment I should have told myself great job for getting in shape and eating better. Look how much healthier I am now. Or I was still an important person then, weight and looks should not be the only thing determining my importance. Truth is people still cared about me then and I still had friends. All that negativity was so unnecessary.
So even though I went into the fitness industry and I am definitely a lot healthier than I used to be. I still struggle with self acceptance. It really is about learning to love yourself for who you are. Sometimes that takes stepping outside of yourself and looking at yourself through someone else's eyes. If you don't take care of yourself who will? Hop on over to Back in Skinny Jeans and read Self Sabotage. Keep your thoughts positive!

Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

Have I ever mentioned that I love Rachael Ray. She basically taught me how to cook via the Food Network, and how to be creative with food and ingredients. It's not that I didn't know how to boil water or anything;) I grew up in the kitchen baking and cooking recipes out of my moms Betty Crocker cookbook. I never really felt I was a great cook though. Don't get me wrong I could follow a recipe and it would turn out, but I never felt I could just throw something together with what I had in the cupboard or know what to do if I was missing an ingredient. Rachael has a simple way of putting together quick recipes which incorporate healthy ingredients for the most part. When I cook I figure the more veggies and fruit I can throw in the better. It's healthier and lighter that way, and you can eat more if you like. So when I find a recipe to try a lot of times I'll double the veggies or throw a little extra this or that in. It's a little easier to do that when you are cooking than when you are baking.Who doesn't want to eat great tasting food. Just because we want to eat healthy doesn't mean we can't enjoy the flavors and dishes we love!
Check out Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup it was in the October issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. It has a nice kick to it, so if you aren't' a huge fan of spice go light on the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. I on the other had love spicy stuff, and I only put one pepper in. So that gives you an idea of how spicy they are. I did not have bacon when I made it, but I did have bacon fat. So I used 1 tablespoon of bacon fat instead of 2. You can prob even cut that out if you like. I froze the leftovers and have a had some yummy quick lunches!

Happy November!

I'm back from my fabulous vacation. My husband and I went back home for about 10 days. It was so much fun! Saw my niece for the first time and she was adorable:) W kept very busy seeing family and friends, eating at all our favorite restuarants, going to hockey games, and just hanging out. Oh and by the way I am very proud of myself for working out while on vacation. After taking a year or so off of hockey I played 3 times while I was home. Yes I still have all my teeth. Playing again reminded me how much fun it was and what a great workout too. One of my friends had a stationary bike in her living room and thankfully I brought my ipod so I had my workout playlist. Throw in a couple days of pilates and I did pretty well I think. Had to burn off that Canadian beer somehow.
Now that I'm back and it's November already, wow when did that happen? I have a lot to do. Like send Christmas cards out....to more than 5 people:) I think my hubby and I need to get a picture taken this year. We don't really have any other than our wedding and Chrismas party pics. Holiday baking projects; which involve me trying to healthify my fave recipes. I also love decorating for the holidays. Working on a Fall tableset at the moment. I have also started the search for great Christmas presents and stocking stuffers. I will try to put a collection of ideas together for you guys. Also keep checking in for recipes. I have a couple sweet potato recipes to post.

The winning vote goes to pumpkin

Thanks for the vote to see some pumpkin recipes! With Fall and Thanksgiving coming up pumpkins are everywhere. I personally am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but I do like using pumpkin in other recipes. Did you know that you can substitute pumpkin for the oil or butter in a recipe? Yes it works just like apple sauce in that it keeps it moist and holds it together (well I think it helps hold it together). The other day I noticed I had a can of pumpkin that needed used so I went to the website on the can and found a recipe pumpkin carrot swirl bars. They sounded great and hey it even had carrots! Click on the recipe title to go to the original recipe. I for one did not have all the ingredients and two like to tweak recipes to make them healthier if I can. So here is what I did: I made it twice so I'll give you the info for both of them. My first attempt I did not have cream cheese so I omitted the topping,and just made the "bar" part. I also did not have enough carrots so I substituted some shredded apples. It was delicious. We were going to our friends house to watch a football game, and I got so many compliments! It was super moist, and oh by the way I also made it in a 9x13 cake pan instead of a jelly roll pan. Which made it more cake-like than bar-like. The second time around I changed a few more things. For the sugar I changed 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar to 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup shredded apple. Then I substituted half of the flour with whole wheat flour. The results we're great. It was still very moist. One thing I would change next time is instead of buying pre-grated carrots I would grate my own. The reason for this is that the pre-grated ones we're dryer and instead of the carrots melting into the cake, they we're more prevalent and chewy. Which is ok unless you are trying to hide the fact that there are extra veggies in there;)

Dance like No one is watching!

I'm sitting here watching dancing with the stars. Wishing I could move with such grace and control let alone have the confidence to put all my effort into it without a few drinks beforehand;) I love to dance and I miss going to the club with my girls. It's great cardio if you think about it. To find out how many calories you burn dancing go to exrx.net So if you are lacking the motivation to go out for a run or any workout for that matter. Turn on your favorite playlist, close the curtains and dance like no one is watching!

Saturday morning

I love Fall. It was definitely chilly this morning when I crawled out of bed. The leaves are starting to change and the air is nice and crisp. Nothing better than putting on a cozy sweatshirt.
I taught a yogalates class this morning, then headed off to attend a yoga class for myself. It was an intermediate/advanced class, and I was hoping to learn something new. The class was 90 minutes long, but it flew by. It was very relaxing even though we we're still working hard. She was a great teacher, and I learned some new variations that I can pass on to my students. After class I headed over to my favorite local coffee shop to have a cappuccino. One of these days I'll bring my camera and take a picture. They draw those fancy designs in the frothy milk. You almost don't want to ruin it, but it tastes to good to do that:)

Here is what I'm having for lunch!

Flipping through my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine I came a across a recipe for French Onion soup. Only 5 ingredients....well almost. I think I will cut the recipe in half since I'm not sure if leftovers would be good.
Ingredients:
1 large onion(good for you)
1/2 cup dry red wine(good for the heart)
14.5 oz beef broth(low cal and low fat)
1 cup croutons(splurge...but I'm sure you could find a healthy version)
2 slices swiss cheese(I bought some that we're 60 calories a slice)

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.

Add onions and cook about 15 minutes. Then add wine and bring to a boil. Add beef broth, and turn heat to low then simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide into two bowls top each with 1/2 cup croutons and 1 slice of cheese. Place bowls on baking sheet and place under broiler approx 1 minute.

I'm off to the kitchen. Enjoy!

I'm not broken!

Today I finally got in to see the Dr. for a follow-up about my foot/ankle. I have been experiencing pain, numbness, and tingling in my foot since oh about April or May....I'm not really sure. I was told it was a sprain, but I've sprained my ankle before and it didn't quite feel like this.
The diagnosis today was that I have inflamed ligaments and possibly a pinched nerve(I'm pretty sure it's a pinched nerve). At least since I got the x-ray and don't have a fracture or break my chiropractor can adjust it now. I'm hoping that can help with the nerve! I'm also going to try acupuncture here pretty soon for this and a few other reasons too. I'll write more about that once I experience the needles...yikes! Actually they are really tiny I saw one the other day and I've heard great things about acupuncture.
So I am suppose to rest my foot(that is the hardest part) and take anti-inflammatories. I will admit that I was stressing about getting this looked at. What if it was fractured? I wouldn't' be able to workout..........oh my gosh! I might gain weight! I was quite relieved.......even though I'm not sure if that prompted me to go run a marathon because I could. But wait don't I want to have a hot little "Pilates body". Ok so now I'm feeling the need to drag myself through some extra exercises:)
As you can see I still struggle with keeping exercise and weight related thoughts realistic. All in all working towards moderation is a great thing; but one that I will do with much perseverance.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Here is a new recipe for you to try. Compliments of the lovely nutritionist I work with. I made a double batch and individually froze them. That way I can just pop them in the toaster in the morning! Less dishes:) I'm stoked.

I used Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Pancake and Waffle Mix and follow the recipe on the back. In addition to those ingredients I also added

• 1tsp ground flax seed (your body can't breakdown the whole flax seed) per pancake
• 1tsp wheat germ per pancake- so one batch makes 5 pancakes=5tsp
• 2tsp vanilla
• Spices to taste such as Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, grated orange zest, etc
• blueberries 1/2 cup to 1 cup-I just eyeball it(thanks RR)

With all the added goodies about 300 calories per serving (2 pancakes) approx 9 g of protein and fiber. As well as a great source of calcium, iron, and B vitamins, etc! Of course depending what you add this could all change a bit

Long but funny-hope this makes you laugh

So I think the neighbors think I’m crazy now. Well If they can see into my backyard that is. This morning I went outside to turn the pool on and almost had a heart attack. When right in front of me I see a spider web, and I am pretty sure I saw the spider web because there was a large object in the middle. That large object just so happened to have 8 legs. Aahhh! As I look right into they eyes (if they have eyes) of a monstrous spider- black and hairy you know the kind. So I halt to a stop turn around and run back towards the house. Grab the pool leaf net thingy to protect myself all because I really want to go swimming today (sit in my floaty chair with a cold beverage) I attempt to knock the web down with the net. Mister spider flew over to the pool ladder and hid in the handles at the top. I then turned the pool pump on and ran back in the house.
As the temperature nears 95 and it’s supposed to feel like 100 with the humidity I decide it’s time to go swimming. I try on my new Juicy swimsuit that I got for such a great deal at Marshalls then try on the one I got from Victoria secret. The Victoria secret top is too small and I need to exchange it, but it’s covered in sequins so I definitely feel a little too flashy in it and since I probably would never wear it in public should exchange the whole suit for something else. Then I default back to my tropical blue and green one with the bamboo rings. Grab my phone, beer (because a wine glass in the pool is probably not a good idea). I open up the shed and peer around looking for spiders of course, and then cautiously grab my floaty chair. Drag it out and turn it over inspecting for bugs. Then toss it in the pool. Head over towards the ladder and shudder as I see that he is still there. I thought the spider had gone away earlier…..oh no he is still there!
So I get spider spray and attempt to spray him-I did this a couple hours earlier too. The can must be almost empty because it is not spraying very far. To think that I am going to get within that 2 feet range to actually spray him is crazy! I swear he kind of jumped out at me-like jumped at me to try to scare me off! Meanwhile the neighbors probably hear me talking to myself and /or mister spider and are probably dying laughing! So I attempt to spray the bug spray so that the wind might carry some poison his way. No such luck. Then I get a great idea! I’ll spray him off with the hose. So I get the hose out and play with the spray handle till I get a nice sharp stream. I spray him off. Yes he is defeated I can finally go swimming; except I am still a little leery because I don’t know where he went. I walk back to the patio and happen to look down and jump a little. Another spider not near as big, but probably hairier is right by my feet. I spray him with bug spray first, but it doesn’t reach him. Damn can, must be empty. Then I spray him with the hose and he is off into the grass. If I didn’t have flip flops on I would step on him. But I was afraid he was going to jump. Then I go back to inspect the pool ladder when I see mister spider triumphantly crawl back to the top of the handles. I am pissed now. He apparently has a strong web and is obviously attached to the ladder. I spray him really good this time, but again don’t know where he landed. So I have pretty much given up on going in the pool, and I am also wondering how much costs to leave that pump on for the next 4 days till my hubby is home? As I am wondering around the yard I notice a web and another spider on the other side of the pool. Yes it’s official I’m not going swimming. Normally it’s the threat of sharks or snakes that keeps me out of the water. Not today. Nope it is a spider. Meanwhile I am looking for an exterminator. Because yard work is just not going to happen when there are spiders around!

The hundred

The hundred is a classic pilates exercise. I searched youtube and found a video that goes over the form of the hundred so that you could also see what it looks like. It is generally one of the first exercises you learn. It gets your ciruculation going as well as strengthens your abdominal muscles. It is called the hundred because you are doing 100 beats with your hands. Breathing in for 5 beats and out for 5 beats counts as one repitition. You repeat that up to 10 times equaling 100 beats. Remember to take your time and work up to 100- you can always do 30-50-etc.

• To get your head in proper position you want to keep your head down and nod your head bringing chin towards chest like you are trying to give yourself a double chin, then curl up to the tips of your shoulder blades using your abs aka "powerhouse"
• 1st progression: If you are just starting out keep your feet on the floor with inner thighs connected and engaged-imagine squeezing a ball between the knees(this is not shown in the video)
• 2nd progression is to bring your knees into your chest by lifting your feet off the floor.
• 3rd progression is extending the legs up to 90 degrees with heels together and toes a fist distance apart. Making sure to engage the inner thighs as well as powerhouse.
• 4th progression is extending the legs to 45 degrees.

Warning: If you feel any discomfort in the low back area bring your legs back in, you should not feel any back pain or neck pain. If you experience fatigue, straining, or pain in the neck let your head rest on the floor and you can continue the exercise. Remember to start at the basic exercise for the full set and progress from there.

Check out Nutrition Data

If you look down at the bottom of my page you will see I've added a widget from NutritionData.com Hope you find it useful! I really enjoy their web page. It has recently been updated and is much more user friendly. They have a daily caloric needs calculator that also breaks down your nutrient needs as well. I thought it was pretty cool to see recommended amounts for my vitamin and mineral intakes.
When you search for a food item on the site it brings up a nutrition label for that food and also gives you the glycemic index, inflammation factor, vitamins, minerals, and rates the food for weight loss, optimum health, and weight gain. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Good pain vs Bad pain

"No pain, no gain" is not necessarily true all the time. If you are constantly in pain all the time during workouts or are always sore something might be wrong. Generally most people will experience soreness within a day or two after a hard workout, a new exercise, or returning to exercise from an extended break.
Are you wondering what good pain is? Good pain can be a number of things. Now it may not be pleasurable pain. By "good" I mean that it is associated with normal soreness and sensations, and not "bad" as in you are hurting yourself, causing injury or aggravating a prior injury, as well as the possibility of an underlying condition.
Good pain can occur during a workout if you are experiencing what is often referred to as muscle burning. It generally occurs towards the end of your set. Fatigue is setting in and you may experience a burning sensation in your muscles. It is also normal to feel soreness or even tightness or stiffness in your muscles that may set in 24-48 hours after a workout. The normal soreness you may feel after a workout is not the same as the muscle burn and may feel more intense. Most people find that after the initial workout and soreness associated with it, they tend to not experience that amount of soreness on a regular basis. That is of course if they stay consistant with their workouts. If you are constantly feeling sore and stiff after workouts check with your doctor.
Bad pain can occur during a workout for multiple reasons. If you have a prior injury that is still healing, doing too much can cause increased inflammation and worsen the injury. Sharp pain, aching and or throbbing pain can indicate you are doing too much too fast. Learning to listen to your body is so important and can prevent delayed healing, future injuries, and permanent damage. Doing too much too soon is a common cause of "bad" pain. If you are experiencing any of the above pain and if anything ever feels excruciating you may be using too much weight, doing to many reps, or performing the exercise wrong. If you have a question about how and what to do it is always beneficial to ask a professional. If you find you experience soreness and pain after every workout you should seek the advice of your doctor.

Notes to think about:

• You may not experience muscle burning "good pain" and that's ok.
• If you find you experience soreness and/or pain after every workout you should seek the advice of your doctor.
• If you think you are hurting yourself or feel as though a muscle is about to snap-You SHOULD stop what you are doing! Don't try to finish those last 3 reps or last 1/4 mile. Your body is telling you it has had enough!
• Listen to your body! Remember if you get hurt from doing too much too soon it can slow your overall progress down. Be patient.
• Progression should be gradual for best results.

Bee-autiful Skin

If you are like me and struggle to keep your skin clear you are in luck. Years ago a friend of mine mentioned a website she had found that helped her acne. Then again a Mary Kay lady recommended the same website. It was started by a guy named Dan Kern. He shares what he has found to clear his acne and has also started his own line. You will find on his website acne.org information about acne, message boards, and reviews on all sorts of products such as otc, prescription, and household items. His main routine is to use a non-comedogenic gentle cleanser. Non-comedogenic means it won't cause acne, and if you have blemish problems you should always look for those words on your skincare and make-up products. Second step is using a benzoyl peroxide treatment. I use Mary Kay's Acne Treatment Gel it has 5% benzoyl peroxide. Third step is using a non-comedogenic moisturizer. I have had great results with Oil of Olay's sensitive skin formula, and I like that it has a sunscreen in it. For the most part when I follow the routine I have great results. Mind you I still had an occasional blemish and blackheads that generally aren't noticeable with makeup. I do admit to playing around with different face cleansers as I haven't found one I love yet. Whenever I use a cleanser with salicylic acid I tend to break out with painful blemishes. I have concluded I may be allergic or sensitive to it. Recently I decided to try cliniques cleansing bar and toner along with my MK acne gel. I wanted the toner as I felt I needed a little more exfoliation to get rid of rough patches. My last visit to acne.org I read about two products I wanted to try. Chances are you have them in your cupboard. One was lemon juice used as a toner, the other was a mask made with baking soda. I have not tried the lemon juice yet, but I did make the mask. All you need is baking soda, honey, and water. I measured it by eye-balling it, but it's approximately 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 teaspoon honey and enough water to make a paste. If your mixture gets too thin add more baking soda. I mixed it in a small bowl and applied with my fingers. Let it dry for 10-20 minutes and rinse off. The baking soda works as a scrub as well as cleansing and tightening your pores and the honey works as a moisturizer. After the first use I was impressed. My skin felt great and I felt like it shrunk and helped relieve inflammation from the blemishes. Currently I am trying it for the second time. It smells pretty sweet too.

Healthy Eats: Berrylicious Super Thick Smoothie

Here is a great smoothie recipe for you to tryout. It is super easy to make and you can change it up just by switching berries. It makes a great breakfast, snack, or dessert.

To serve 1:

1 Cup plain yogurt (I prefer yoplait It has 130 calories/0g Fat/19g Carbs/15g protein and 40% calcium)
1 small banana(I prefer mine frozen, but it works either way)
1 cup frozen berries of choice-strawberries, cherries, blueberries

• Blend all ingredients together in a blender
• Pour in a glass or bowl
• Drink or eat with a spoon

Depending how frozen your berries/banana are it will turn out pretty thick which is why it makes a great dessert too, almost like frozen yogurt.

It is generally sweet enough for me, but sometimes your berries might be a little tarter than normal and honey is always a good option. Even better if you use local honey as I've heard it's supposed to help with allergies. As always check with your doctor before trying anything new to treat a health issue. If you are curious as to how it works check out Fitsugar and check out some precautions with this article at Consumer Health Digest

Fave Things

Two years ago I got a pair Nike perfect DriFit pants for Christmas. I still have them and have added more pairs to my closet as well! These have to be the most flattering workout pants I've ever owned. They don't show every lump and bump you have even though they are body hugging. All you get is a nice smooth silhouette. The waist band is wider than most and doesn't cut in to give you a muffin top! You also won't lose your pants the next time your doing a rollup in Pilates class, these babies stay put. Even after multiple washings they don't seem to lose there shape or elasticity. I do try to hang dry them, but trust me there have been multiple times they have gone through the dryer. Priced at approx $60 depending where you get them: some options are Nike.com and Nordstroms.com I noticed on the Nordstroms website they also had a silver/gray pant with a lavender waistband. I may have to add some color to my wardrobe which consists of mostly black items. Actually I have been doing pretty good adding a dose of color to my closet. My hubby lovingly refers to them as my ninja outfits:)

When you just don't know what to write

So I am finally sitting down to write another post, but I can't seem to come up with anything worth writing about. So maybe if I just start typing something will come to mind. At least that is what I am hoping for. It's a quiet night except for the bugs outside. Who would have ever though such a loud noise could come from such a tiny creature! So as I sit here on my comfy beige couch with a glass of Yellow Tail Chardonnay my mind starts to wander over the events of my day.
I have to say that today has been a lazy day. I slept in, but that's because I stayed up pretty late last night. I suppose I got some stuff accomplished. Such as dishes, packing a lunch for my hubby, going to work myself, and now I am back at home on the couch where I started from. I've been getting great ideas all day about what I can do with my blog. However I am not necessarily a computer whiz. In actuality I don't know much at all about html and all the fancy stuff I could do to my page. I also don't have the money to pay someone else to do it. But I did browse through some books over at www.amazon.com and found a blogging for dummies book! I think I might just have to get it.
Back to sitting on the couch:) I should also mention I am contemplating what to do for a workout tonight. Now I did get some cardio in when I was teaching a class, but I do need to do something else. I told you it's a lazy day as in I'm feeling lazy in the sense of not wanting to workout! I know you know what I mean. It's not that I won't feel great once I've started, and have a great sense of accomplishment when I'm done. You know what? I think I'll browse through my on demand channels there has got to be something new and fun on FitTV. I love that channel. The great thing is that there are workouts at all different levels, and there are so many options you can always pick something new if you wanted to. Some of my favorites are the Cindy Whitmarsh workouts, and the Jackie workouts you know the girl from the workout show on Bravo! Well I'm off to break a sweat and I suggest you do too:)

Foot Savers

So I was at work the other day and was introduced to something fabulous. They are called foot savers. The studio owner recently took a class in something known as Yamuna body rolling. You can check it out at http://www.yamunabodyrolling.com/ The foot savers are little half-balls made of some strong rubber-like substance. You stand on them and move your feet along them, as you are focusing on your alignment. OMG can you say foot massage:)......ok so some spots hurt my feet, but you know that pain that feels good. It's like free reflexology. I could hang out on these forever. Check them out. I imagine they must be good at releasing toxins as well!
By the way there are also other balls that you can massage your whole body with:)
You know what I love? That massage is good for you, of course it feels good, but it's like broccoli-it's good for you!

Gymnastics and the Olympics

I am in awe of the athletes, they are so inspirational! Gymnastics is one of my favorite sports to watch. Swimming is great too, and I was amazed at Phelps talent.
The more I see the Chinese gymnasts I think to myself wow can they really be old enough. They seriously look 10-12. Then I think well hey should there be an age rule, if they are good enough let them compete. But, and a big BUT here that's not the case, if they aren't old enough they are breaking the rules and that is not good sportmanship, and not fair to any of the athletes. I think athletes are role models and shame on them if they want to play unfair. Now say they are underage they are prob so young they are can I say "brainwashed" into thinking it's ok? hmmm I wonder. Everyone else had to play by those rules, maybe the US athletes would have been even more fabulous when they we're 12 too, but they played by the rules and waited there turn. But anyways. Regarldless team USA did great. Good job girls! I completely agree that 2 gold medals for the uneven bars would have been better than the tie break. They both scored the highest so they should both be rewarded.
A little side note- I absolutely love the dresses the Chinese have been wearing to escort the medalist to the podium. The white ones we're fabulous and the blue and gold ones we're GEORGEOUS!

Off to the Farmer's Market

Today I went to a Farmer's Market to check it out. I hadn't been to one here, and I can't remember the last one I went to. Check out all the yummy stuff I got today! Baby pat a pan squashes. I love them but can never justify their prices at the grocery store. These were $2. Also picked up some poblano pepper jelly, and it's sweetened with honey and apple juice instead of sugar. She said instead of 6 cups of sugar she uses 1 cup of honey and 1 cup of cider. Yum! I love pepper jelly, so I'm excited to try it. Also picked up half a dozen ears of sweet corn, and a bunch of basil. While I was there I tried some homemade ice cream, delicious! It was smores flavor. Think I will check some more out soon

Hot or Not?

Well I tried hot yoga again (this was my second time). I went to a Bikram yoga studio, and I was all excited to be on my quest for a super flexible gumby-like body...... I entered the studio. It was nicely decorated, I loved the shower curtains in the locker room. I may have to search for them as the girl working there wasn't sure where they came from.
To backtrack to my first Bikram experience. The lights we're on and they we're super bright. The teacher was on a box at the front of class and her instructing reminded me of a drill seargant. Not my idea of yoga. I prefer dim or dark rooms(unless I'm outside in the sunshine) and although I do love a great workout from my yoga practice, I definately like a more calming approach. The heat didn't seem to bother me too much although I was definately sweaty. It looked like I jumped in a lake!
So the second experience. The lights we're on but they we're lanterns the nice zen-like white lantern thingys that I love. So not to bad. The teacher was even a little less drill-seargeantish at first. But they basically tell you not to leave even if you feel bad, because there is noone out in the lobby to check on you. So shortly into class I'm feeling lightheaded, and nauseous. I feel like puking and can barely stand up without my world going black and fuzzy. So I spent some time in childs pose recouping. Wanting to leave because I knew I would not feel better, but feeling as though that was not acceptable. Plus I didn't want to wuss out. Well then I am trying to rehydrate and am told by instructor to only take a drink between sets not between poses. Because the others might get jealous when they are balancing or transitioning or whatever!!! Ok now you have pissed me off. You can't tell me I can't get a drink of water when I'm about to pass out in a 105 degree room. Plus I have always been taught to never lock your knees and apparently you are supposed to do that in Bikram. So I'm not sold on this class. After I suffered through being in a 100+ degree room for 90 minutes. I graciously only bought one session instead of a package deal, because I won't be back. Maybe warm yoga, and maybe hot yoga that isn't the Bikram style, but for now I'll refrain. Love my yoga though!

Now What?

What do many women/girls have in common? How many of you are on a diet, have been on a diet, or are just currently taking a break from your diet? I can look back at my life and I pretty much consider myself to be on a so called "diet" since I first learned what the word was. It just seemed normal. The type of diet has changed numerous times, but in general I was always analyzing every bite of food. Whether I wrote it down or not. I was constantly crunching numbers in my mind.....calories, protein, carbs, fat etc. Sometimes I would stop and think could I ever just live, just eat and not worry about gaining weight? Now I'm not saying all girls think like this I'm impressed by anyone that does not have these thoughts on a regular basis.
What I found to be the oddest occurance once I had gotten to the point where I had to say I'm thin enough(and trust me this has happened multiple times because I definately have fluctuated in my weight) I didn't know what to do. Being on a diet became such a normal part of my day. When I didn't need to obsess about cutting calories I felt lost. It was almost as if I didn't have that bond with other women/girls anymore. I do still find that I keep a running tally of calories sometimes but that helps to maintain where I am. I have always been interested in nutrition, and I have found that shifting from counting calories to focusing more on counting fruits and vegetables is a much better option. Mainly what I mean is that instead of focusing on what I can't have I try to focus on what I should have trying to make sure I get a good variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals through my food. So that is the "now what" and you know what it has really helped me to stay at a steady weight/size.

Food for thought

I love to cook, but I just don't seem to ever find the time to do it that often anymore. Maybe that should be one of my goals. Since we moved into a house and are able to have a grill now, we do grill. I guess that counts as cooking:) I seem to work random hours and a lot of evenings so coming home at 9:30 or 10 not only is it not the optimal time to cook a meal I am often too tired to want to. Perhaps I should start making gourmet breakfasts or lunches. I do make a great smoothies though. I use plain yogurt(yoplait is my favorite) about 1 cup per serving and I blend with frozen strawberries (or blueberries/cherries) also one cup and sometimes I through in a banana. It's plenty sweet for me so I don't add any sweeteners/sugar. If all the fruit is very frozen it turns out really thick, basically like frozen yogurt. Makes a great dessert! If you want it thinner I nuke the strawberries in the microwave(since I buy frozen) since they are softer that way it makes it a little thinner. Also have the option to use milk or soymilk to thin it out. I never add ice but that's just personal preference. Enjoy!
Since I mentioned sweeteners/sugar above I guess it would be a great time to discuss those. I have been hearing more and more about the dangers and just negative effects of artificial sweeteners. A friend suggested I visit www.splendaexposed.com Supposedly they may cause you to gain weight as well as be potentially harmful to your body. I want no part in something that makes the inside of my body look horrible even if it could make the outside look better. It's not just splenda...I'm sure equal, nutrisweet, etc all have issues. The more I think about all these so-called miracle foods that are all constructed in a lab, the more I wonder how they could really be good for us. Now I'm sure there are some definate scientific advantages to some of our food and products. However I am thinking it's best to stay away from most processed and chemically altered products. But sometimes you really have to analyze a product to decipher if it really is the better option

First Blog

Yay my first blog! I've been wanting to do this for awhile, and didn't realize how easy it would be. That is until I saw an article in a magazine suggesting blogger.com It's fabulous and super easy! Also one of my favorite blogs and my first inspiration is www.backinskinnyjeans.com
I am a pilates instructor among many fitness related tools I have under my belt. I love pilates! and you should too! I didn't always, not until I found out what it was. It is definately one of the best and funnest workouts I have ever had.
Basically in a nutshell you learn how to use your abdominal muscles-aka your "powerhouse" and you learn how to utilize them in everything you do. I'd always done crunches and such, but how boring:) Pilates is so much more fun and I saw great results from it.
I realized yesterday after talking with one of my clients that being happy or satisfied with yourself is not how you look but how you feel. Well I guess I prob have thought about that before too. But basically she said if only I was like you if I had started working out when I was your age I wouldn't be like this. Or you are so skinny....that always throws me off. You know why because just like you I struggle with accepting that I am good enough, skinny enough etc. In my mind I know I could be in better shape, tell myself I should be in better shape. It's when I realize that I am now the person that I used to look at and wish I could be her-the girl with the perfect body. But I don't think I have the perfect body, sometimes wonder if I ever will. I do believe that I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I look differently to other people than I do to myself, but we prob all do. Throughout my career as a fitness professional I am more and more emphasizing to everyone I meet that "fitness" is not a shape it's a level of activity, and being healthy is different than being skinny! My goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying life and having fun! It's all about learning to love yourself!